America's Most Wanted is an Americantelevision program[1][2] produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode airing on June 18, 2011. The following September, America's Most Wanted '​s host, John Walsh, announced that the program would resume on the cable network Lifetime later that year.[3]

The show's nature does not allow repeats, except for updates on convicted criminals, and is preempted a maximum of eight times during the year; however, if a fugitive featured on the show is not captured, their profile may be aired again. However, since moving to Lifetime, the show aired several repeats with updates if the fugitive/missing person was captured/recovered.

The first two-hour quarterly special aired on Saturday, October 29, 2011 on FOX.[4] The second two-hour special aired on Saturday, December 17, 2011, the third two-hour special aired on Saturday, February 11, 2012, and the fourth and final two-hour special aired on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

On March 28, 2013, Lifetime canceled America's Most Wanted.[5] It was cancelled because of the high royalties that had to be paid to Fox who holds the trademark and copyright to the show and low ratings. It was replaced with John Walsh Investigates, a one-off special on Lifetime.

The concept for America's Most Wanted originally came from a German show, Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst (German for File Reference XY ... Unsolved), that first aired in 1967, and the British show Crimewatch, first aired in 1984, with the US version conceived by Fox executive Stephen Chao and Executive Producer Michael Linder in the summer of 1987. Even earlier, however, CBS aired a three-month half-hour similar series hosted by Walter McGraw in the 1955-1956 season entitled Wanted.

The show usually ends with John Walsh saying, "... and remember, you can make a difference", or, on occasion, "... and remember, you do make a difference." The credits were designed by New York City artist Gretchen Bender.[7]

America's Most Wanted premiered on February 7, 1988 on seven Fox-owned stations. Within four days of the first broadcast, FBI Ten Most Wanted FugitiveDavid James Roberts was captured as a direct result.[8] He was a convicted killer who had recently escaped from prison by digging his way out with a small axe. This demonstrated the effectiveness of the show's "Watch Television, Catch Criminals" premise to skeptical law enforcement agencies. Ten weeks later, the program premiered nationwide on the Fox network and became the fledgling network's first hit series.

America's Most Wanted reinvented the economics of prime time television with its low-budget reenactments of crimes. A typical hour of prime time programming in 1988 cost $1 million to produce. AMW '​s initial budget was much lower than that. The show's reality-style format and nearly instantaneous captures (some fugitives were captured before the episode's final credits rolled) contributed to its success.[citation needed]

The announcer heard on the show for its first two decades was voice-over artist Don LaFontaine, who died on September 1, 2008. The first new episode aired after his death was dedicated to him. He was replaced by voice actor Wes Johnson.

The program was canceled[9] for a month and a half in the fall of 1996, per a decision made the previous spring in the wake of high production costs. In its place, Fox moved Married... with Children (then entering what soon became its final season) to 9/8c, with the new sitcom Love and Marriage following it at 9:30. Cops remained in its hour-long 8/7c block. However, protests from the public, law enforcement, and government officials, including the governors of 37 states, as well as low ratings for the shows replacing AMW encouraged Fox to bring the show back. Love and Marriage was canceled, and Married… with Children was moved back to Sundays. Producers rechristened AMW with an expanded title, America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back. For the next 15 years afterward, the America's Most Wanted/COPS combination made Saturday evening Fox’s most stable night, along with the longest unchanged primetime schedule on American television as of 2011.

On March 6, 2010, Fox aired the 1000th episode of America's Most Wanted, and Walsh interviewed PresidentBarack Obama at the White House. In the interview, they discussed the Obama Administration's crime-fighting initiatives, as well as the impact the show has had on law enforcement and crime prevention.[10]

On May 16, 2011, Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly announced that after 23 years, America's Most Wanted, in its weekly format, would be canceled.[12] The final weekly episode aired on June 18, 2011, though Reilly said four two-hour specials would air on Fox in the fall 2011 television season. However, Walsh said he was looking to other networks to keep the show going, saying he had "many, many offers" from other networks.[12]Fox News Channel confirmed that its chairman Roger Ailes had been in preliminary discussions with Walsh about bringing the show to Fox News, but said "nothing has been decided."[12] On the final Fox episode, Walsh promised to continue the show elsewhere and told the Associated Press: "I want to catch bad guys and find missing children—and we’re not done."[12]

During the 2010–2011 season, the show averaged an audience of five million.[12] Within hours of Fox's announcement of the show's cancellation, campaigns to save the show were started by fans through Facebook and Twitter, among other social networking sites.[13]

In September 2011, it was announced that Lifetime had picked up America's Most Wanted from Fox and it began airing on the former on December 2, 2011.[14] On March 13, 2012, Lifetime ordered an additional 20 episodes.[15] However on March 28, 2013, it was announced that Lifetime had cancelled America's Most Wanted.[16]

Ads feature John Walsh mentioning the region's police, and an announcer mentions someone wanted in the area. Another ad by Walsh directs viewers to the station's website for more wanted criminals. Unlike other Fox stations, who usually air similar spots either after the news or AMW, they air throughout the day, as the station has no newscast.

Hosted by Crime Reporter Nikki Gaskins and FOX Anchor Jesse Blanco; John Walsh is featured in the show open & tosses to anchors on set; shows can be viewed on-line at: www.thecoastalsource.com; Keyword: Most Wanted

Although not a Fox affiliate, Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel KCSB-TV 3, San Bernardino, California, produces a program called "Inland Empire's Most Wanted". It profiles wanted fugitives from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. It is produced in co-operation with the San Bernardino Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The program was originally called "San Bernardino's Most Wanted" and focused on fugitives wanted by the San Bernardino Police Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, but later expanded its focus to include all of the Inland Empire area (i.e. San Bernardino and Riverside counties). Thus, the name was changed to "Inland Empire's Most Wanted". The program is distributed to other local access channels in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

When America's Most Wanted debuted, the show's original toll-freehotline number was 1-800-CRIME-88 (1-800-274-6388). The last 2 digits of the hotline number changed each year (1-800-CRIME-89, 1-800-CRIME-90, and so on) until 1995, when it was permanently changed to its current number, which is 1-800-CRIME-TV (1-800-274-6388), which, coincidentally, was what the number had originally been in 1988. As of June 2014, the hotline has shut down and the show's website has also apparently been deactivated, after some time of the same cases appearing onscreen.

About half of the phone operators seen during the show are actors.[18]

The AMW Dirty Dozen is John Walsh's list of notorious fugitives who have been profiled on the show who are currently at large. It is similar in function, though not identical with, the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list; three of the Dirty Dozen are on the FBI's list.

These are the current Dirty Dozen, as of January 8, 2013. Currently, there are only 10 fugitives listed despite the idea of the list being John Walsh's 12 personal most wanted. Resort killer Beacher Ferrel Hackney was removed after his body was discovered in September 2012.[19] Alleged murderer William Greer has also removed from Walsh's Dirty Dozen despite him seemingly still on the run. There are now two open slots, but no word on if they are to soon be filled.

Jason Derek Brown is wanted for the murder of an armored car driver and robbery of $56,000 in front of a movie theater in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 29, 2004. He is charged in Phoenix with first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He is believed to be in either British Columbia, or Mexico. On December 8, 2007, Brown was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List.[20]

Jose Fernando Corona is wanted out of Hereford, TX for brutally murdering his wife with a chainsaw on April 26, 2010. The murder has shaken the quiet community to the core, particularly his daughter with whom he was close. Despite no criminal record, the otherwise mild-mannered father of six had a nervous breakdown and carried out this grisly act that was considered atypical of his character. Corona has since been on the run from the law, possibly hiding out with his friends in Friona.[21]

Berny Figueroa is wanted for the murder of 2-year-old Alexia Lopez in Brenham, Texas. On March 11, 2008, Figueroa punched Alexia Lopez in the stomach, separating her large and small intestines at the daycare facility where she worked.[22]

Robert Fisher is wanted for the murder of his wife, Mary, and his children, Brittany and Bobby Jr. in Scottsdale, Arizona, on April 10, 2001, and then burning down their house to try to cover up the crime. He is also on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List and is considered to be AMW's Public Enemy Number 1.[23]

Elby Hars is wanted for sexually abusing young girls in Columbia, South Carolina. He had previously served time for sexually abusing his own daughter, Terri Hars. When he was released, he found young girls for him to abuse, leading to him going to prison.[25]

Daniel Heirs is wanted for the murder of his wife, Ludimila Heirs, in Goose Creek, South Carolina, in March 2005. He is also wanted for sexually abusing a child in Charleston, South Carolina, shortly before. Heirs, a former police officer, is on the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted List, and they are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.[26]

Andre Neverson is wanted for the murders of his sister, Patricia Neverson, and his ex-girlfriend, Donna Davis, both in Brooklyn, New York, in July 2002. He is also on the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted list.[27]

Yaser Said is wanted for shooting his two teenage daughters to death on January 1, 2008, in Irving, Texas. He is also wanted for questioning in the girls' sexual abuse nearly a decade prior.[28]

Paul Jackson According to AMW.COM, police believe that siblings Paul Jackson and Vance Roberts lured teenage girls to a homemade sex-torture chamber they built in the residence they once shared in Hillsboro, Oregon. While Roberts turned himself in and was sentenced to 108 years in prison, Jackson's still wanted.[29]

"15 Seconds of Shame" is a segment (approximately one minute in length) where the show features four fugitives who are currently on the run, each in his or her own 15-second briefing. The segment was introduced in December 2004. The run-up shows the charges against the fugitives, and where they might be. Aliases, tattoos and character quirks are also mentioned in the profiles. It was discontinued in June 2010.

"BOLO" stands for "Be On the Look Out". It is a segment similar to the 15 Seconds of Shame, except it profiles one fugitive and has no time limit. There are usually multiple segments in one episode. They profile either known fugitives or unknown fugitives that have a composite sketch. It was introduced in late 2010 and used as a subtle replacement for the 15 Seconds of Shame.

"All Points Bulletin" is a segment that airs multiple fugitives one right after the other. It describes the crime, shows evidence, basic information, and a picture of the fugitive. It can be abbreviated as APB. It has been used occasionally throughout the show.

The "Break Four Tease" is an additional case usually aired during the fourth commercial break on Fox episodes. Lasting eight seconds long, it gives a brief spotlight to a current case. It gives the hotline number, pictures, crime type, and location. Missing persons and known fugitives have been profiled in this segment. It was introduced around 2000, but does not air on the Lifetime episodes. [1]

"In the Line of Duty" showcased a police officer who was killed while on duty, whether during a shootout, a car chase, or anything else related to trying to catch a criminal. The segment was introduced in November 2004, and airs in most episodes. Usually shown near the end of the program.

Given that a significant number of the fugitives on America's Most Wanted had yet to face trial in a criminal court, the show adhered to the presumption of innocence as afforded under the law. For this reason, in the cases where fugitives had not yet been convicted, John Walsh would always proceed his narrative of the crime with the term "Police say ..." and then state the crime to which the person had allegedly committed.

In a handful of rare cases, America's Most Wanted profiled persons who were involved in controversial cases or who had fled to avoid prosecution on what they believed to be unfair or even framed charges. One female fugitive, who had fled to Canada, later had charges against her dismissed even after being profiled on the show. During its entire run, Walsh refused to ever issue a retraction or updated viewers on any fugitives who were later found innocent.

The website for America's Most Wanted has a very active community page. Members from all over the continent give the latest updates on cases and it provides a forum to talk with other fans. It takes two days to become a member and some very basic information (username, password, email address). Members must be at least 13 years old to join. A "Community" link to the forums can be found at the bottom of the homepage.

However, as of January 8, 2013, the message board server seems to have crashed. In the meantime, similar message boards created by fans of the show have popped up, including one titled "America's Most Wanted Fans."[30]

A digest version of America's Most Wanted is distributed to radio stations Monday – Saturday through Cumulus Media Networks at 15 minutes past the hour from 5 am to 2 pm (Eastern Time). It keeps listeners up to date on the latest fugitive and missing persons/children cases nationwide.